On 11^th October 2025, the city of Johannesburg in South Africa hosted the annual meeting of Zone V of the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT), bringing together representatives from the Southern Africa region. The session was chaired by Mr. Jonas Alberto Junior, Vice President of CAT and President of the region. The meeting welcomed around fifteen delegates representing Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Also in attendance was Mrs. Tapiwa Masunga, the Development Officer for the region.

The discussions opened with a shared commitment to strengthening tennis development through targeted strategies and long-term planning. One of the key highlights was the focus on strategic sponsorship development. Delegates applauded the sponsorship deal secured by Botswana and Namibia for the 2026 WTT M25 tournament. A proposal was made to extend this model to additional countries in the region to boost grassroots tennis initiatives.

 High-performance programming was another central topic. Angola, through the KIKUXI Villas Club, expressed its willingness to host regional training camps for top-performing athletes. This initiative is part of a broader vision to elevate talent development through structured and competitive environments.

Discussions also addressed the expansion of the tournament calendar, with a view to increasing the number of professional and junior events held within Zone V. Strengthening governance structures was also on the agenda, with confirmations of new members in regional sub-committees and commissions.

In preparation for the AUSC Region 5 Games in Maputo (2026), the meeting covered tennis-specific logistics, athlete readiness, and national team organization.

Furthermore, the meeting included a review of CAT’s marketing strategy, featuring proposals to improve branding, refine tournament naming standards, and launch a new digital platform to promote African tennis events.

An update was also delivered by the ITF Regional Development Officer, highlighting ongoing development initiatives and regional priorities. One of the major outcomes of the meeting was the official adoption of the Zone V Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which outlines a clear roadmap for the growth of tennis across the region.

The meeting concluded with a strong emphasis on inclusive development, particularly through updates on wheelchair tennis and officiating development, including new training pathways to build a skilled base of officials in the region.

This successful meeting underscored the strong collaboration and shared vision among Southern African nations to elevate tennis through sustainable development, strategic planning, and inclusive programming. The outcomes are expected to shape the future of tennis across the region for years to come.